Into the Fire, Chapter 3: Pulsar
by Cari
Summary: Celia stumbles free but stumbles across Logan. R only because I'm making that a staple because it will be R worthy later, I think


Into the Fire, Chapter 3: Pulsar  
  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, yada yada yada....  
  
Running....running and more running. She ran as fast as her tired legs could carry her, through snow, in shoes to big for her feet. She hadn't eaten in who knows how long and the glucose injections she received in her sleep were wearing off. She had lost their scent an hour ago, but she wasn't used to these new senses she obtained. She didn't trust what she didn't know.  
Crashing through the woods, Celia lost her step and fell. She kept falling, though, as a small drift of snow broke off, as did the ground. She slid down the hill and the cold snow surrounded, infested the minimal clothing she wore. Her powers were useless now. The choices were to stop and make herself warm or keep running, and right now running seemed the best option. Finally the sliding stopped, and she regained her footing. To her dismay, though, a creek lay in front of her, which, under normal conditions she could cross with ease. But she would freeze before she got across this time.   
"I guess I've lost them for now. I guess I can catch my breath," she spoke to herself, still with a raspy whisper. "Some water could do me some good." Kneeling slowly, Celia leaned down and broke the thin layer of ice that covered the water. Cupping her hands, she took tiny sips. As cold as the water was, it sure felt good in her parched throat. After taking her fill, she sat back, sitting on the back of her heals. For a moment she took the silence and beauty of an empty winter forest, allowing small snowflakes to caress her face. She breathed inwards deeply, the stinging cold of a Canadian winter fill her senses.   
Suddenly she opened her eyes, finding something in the scent that didn't quite fit. "A fire?" she said quietly, trying not to destroy the tranquil quiet. Standing up, she began to walk in the direction of the smell. She walked slowly and carefully, trying hard not to disturb anything or give herself away.   
After about a 10-minute walk, Celia came around a bend and found a small campsite, complete with a small animal roasting over the fire.   
"No one is around," she thought to herself. "If I'm quick enough I can get that food and get out of here. They'll think an animal got it." With that Celia ran and pounced on the roasting animal and ran back off into the woods. She ran and ran until she knew she wouldn't be found. Hunching over, she tore into the animal carcass with the veracity of a wild beast. Not knowing what she was eating, nor caring, Celia devoured the stolen food quickly, wanting to make a quick getaway.  
  
Even before he reached the campfire, Logan knew his dinner was gone. "Stinkin' animals," he grumbled to himself as he set off to find the culprit. He sniffed the air cautiously and allowed a bewildered look cross his face. "Human? What's a human doin' out here?"  
Creeping slowly through the white woods, he came across a dark figure huddled over and consuming his dinner. "Hey you, you best be leaving me some of that or you'll be in trouble!" he yelled out at the person, hoping that would stop them. The dark figure indeed stopped and glared out at the man standing before them. Hair matted and skin dirty, a pretty face with striking green eyes stared at him as if he were the intruder.  
"Now, miss, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just not to happy 'bout you takin' my food. Now why don't you come with me back to my camp and we can work this out," he explained calmly to her. She looked ragged and frail, and he wasn't sure how long she had been out here. Suddenly she jumped up and took off running, the half-eaten roast held firmly in her hands. "Great. You're gonna give me a chase. Bad move, sweetheart."  
Logan quickly caught up with her. He noticed as he closed in on here that the boots she wore were quite a bit too big for her and slowed her down. He began to sympathize with her when the remained animal carcass flew at him in full flame. He growled loudly, hoping to scare the girl into stopping, but it only made her run faster. Although she tried to get away, Logan gradually caught up with her. Just before he could grab hold of her coat, the girl tripped on her own feet sailing into the air. Logan didn't expect her fall and flew over the girl and landed a couple of feet ahead of her.  
"Now, girlie, you've got some explainin' to do," he said as he started getting to his feet, but she lay silent and still. "Honey, don't be playing any games with me. I'm not in the mood." Logan crawled over to her still body and turned her over. He pushed a few strands of hair from her face and felt the heat seething off of her skin. Perplexed, Logan jerked back from the heat, almost scared that he might get burned. He leaned his ear to her face to check if she was breathing and almost choked when a very firm grip took hold of his throat.  
In a wispy voice, Celia Fox, the dark and wild stranger, spoke harshly into Logan's ear, "Don't call me girlie or honey, cause I'll rip your throat out, bub." With that, she let go and closed her eyes, passing out from sheer exhaustion.  
  
When she came to, Celia Fox woke with a start. "Where the hell am I?" she said as she glared at Logan.  
"Well, you stole my dinner and gave me a good chase, so you're in my camp so I can keep an eye on you," he replied gruffly.  
"I did what? You've gotta have me confused with someone else."  
Logan smirked and looked around "I don't know if you've noticed sweetheart but we're in the middle of nowhere. I didn't get you confused."  
She sat up and leaned against a tree. She nodded solemnly and quietly replied, "I see." Celia coughed softly, trying to clear her throat, which turned into a stronger cough. She turned her head towards the ground and coughed once more, blood coming out with it. She wiped her mouth and looked up at Logan, a cigarette hanging in his mouth and his eyes staring at her.  
"You ok kid?" he asked as nice as he could.  
"I'm no kid, and I'm fine. You got one of those I could have?" she replied with a sting in her voice.  
"Umm, you just coughed up blood, I don't think you need one of these."  
"Don't worry about me," she said with a smirk. "Things like a little lung cancer or blood never bother me for long."  
He shrugged and handed her a cigarette, "Suit yourself."  
She put it in her mouth and touched the tip of her finger to the end and it lit immediately. After she took a puff, she turned to Logan and smiled. "Thanks."  
He nodded and lit his own cigarette, "You're a mutant, huh?"  
She nodded and smiled again, "And so are you. You're the Wolverine, right?"  
"Yeah, how'd you know?"  
"I live at Xavier's. Everyone knows who you are."  
"I've never seen you there before," he continued, trying to keep the conversation going.  
"Well, I try to keep a low profile. And you weren't there for very long either."  
Logan chuckled, "Yeah, I had some things to take care of." A long silence fell between the two of them as the enjoyed their cigarettes. Finally after several minutes, Logan spoke up again. "So, what are you doing out here anyway?"  
She shrugged and turned away, "I don't know. I went to see my dad, something went really wrong, and now I'm here." She paused for a moment and looked into the starry evening. "I don't wanna talk about it, if you don't mind."  
"Nah, it's ok. I know the feeling." Logan moved towards a sleeping bag on the ground and began unzipping it. "Sorry, I gotta get some sleep. Make yourself comfortable."  
"Heh, thanks.....for everything."  
"No problem, kid. Hey, what's your name anyway, cause I'm sure you're sick of me calling you kid and girlie."  
Celia said with a smirk, "Yeah, I am, and it's Celia."  
"Night Celia."  
  
Logan woke to a bright light. He was confused, thinking it couldn't be morning already. Then he saw the flames. Now he thought the fire caught onto something else and his new companion took off. When his eyes finally focused, the campfire was a cinder, but Celia, on the other hand, was ablaze.   
"Celia!" he yelled. "Can you hear me?!" All he heard in return was a high-pitched scream as pain ravaged her body. Her back arched and her arms acted as if they were held down. She just kept screaming, but, despite all of the fire, nothing but the coat and boots she had been wearing burned.   
Celia's fire burned around her, melting the hard packed snow around her. Logan couldn't reach her and even if he could get in there without burning himself badly before his regenerative powers kicked in, he didn't think it would help. He stayed up and watched, hoping that the girl who had stole his food would make it through the night without killing herself.  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
